‘Teers in the Hood
by LouiseX
Summary: Gi’s friend has been shot so the planeteers go undercover in a high school to find the culprit. This story was written as a companion to the original episode, exploring some of the feelings that might have been flying around.


'**Teers in the Hood**

**Summary: **Gi's friend has been shot so the planeteers go undercover in a high school to find the culprit. This story was written as a companion to the original episode, exploring some of the feelings that might have been flying around. It is set mostly between the scenes in the original episode, so you might want to watch it again to get the full picture first.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Captain Planet or any of it's characters, and I'm not making any money from these stories.

This was written at the request of the forum as a bit of Christmas fun. As usual it is a W & L story but I'm not trying to undermine the original message of the episode… it was a great episode and I can't help hoping that somewhere it helped to make a difference.

**A\N: **Here you go guys, I hope you like it. It was something of a challenge to write the established stuff so I hope it comes over okay.

* * *

Wheeler stared dreamily into space as he pictured a certain beautiful Russian in her new outfit. _Not that she doesn't look great normally, those shorts she wears definitely have my approval and it's not like I haven't seen her in like bikinis and stuff… it's just that this morning she looked… hot!_

"Earth to Mr Wheeler."

Hotter than normal, **if** that's possible… maybe it's just 'cos it's different, I mean our planeteer outfits are so…

"Mr Wheeler. Earth to Mr Wheeler."

_Nice, in a Partridge Family kinda way… whereas this street look…_

Gi shook him back to reality and he sat up taking a stab in the dark, "Huh? Uh my dog ate it?" then as everyone in the class began to laugh, "Oh sorry." Sinking back to his desk he mumbled. "Oh Man! I can't believe I'm back at school!"

"Shhh! Pay attention Wheeler." Gi told him with uncharacteristic irritation, "Maybe you'll learn something this time around."

Thankfully the bell went just then and they could leave. Wheeler and Gi filed into the corridor with the other students and walked side by side to meet the others. "I wonder if Linka and Kwame are having any luck finding out who shot your friend."

"I still can't believe it happened." Gi told him, "Everyone **liked** David."

"Well neither gang is going to fess up, nobody'll even talk about it." He shrugged.

Kwame and Linka were waiting just ahead and the lovely Russian was clearly in a good mood. "So Wheeler, is your best subject still lunch?" She flicked him playfully and chuckled.

He was ready for her though, "Nah, Romance 101." And leaning forward, deliberately invading her space. "You wanna **cram** together sometime?"

She didn't move away, in fact she looked thoughtful as if she was actually considering it. Just like Wheeler was considering pushing her back against the lockers and…

"How can you two joke around when David's fighting for his life?" Gi interrupted pushing them apart.

Thankfully Kwame stepped in before either of them could reply. "Gi, you must ease up, he will pull through."

_What's that?_ Wheeler ran with the others to one of the science classrooms, where a fight was underway. Linka identified the two guys as members of rival gangs, the Wrecking Crew Gang and the Evil Educators.

Kwame watched the fight in horror, "I do not understand why there is such hatred just because the gangs live in different housing projects."

"Kwame my man," Wheeler said, surprised that for once he understood when the others did not, "It's all territory and who controls it. I've seen it **all** my life."

Linka wanted to use her ring but Gi stopped her, "No! If we blow our cover, we'll never find out who shot David."

The fighters knocked over some chemicals causing a dangerous reaction, which set off the smoke alarms. The smoke stopped the fight however and the subsequent evacuation gave the planeteers the distraction they needed. Running to the Special Ed class to collect Ma-Ti, they then found a secluded spot to call Captain Planet.

By the time everything had been sorted out, Gi couldn't wait to get back on the case. "Okay the excitement's over We've got work to do!" She crossed her arms, clearly annoyed at the distraction.

"Take it easy Gi." Wheeler told her putting his hand on her shoulder, beginning to get concerned about the way she's been acting. "We'll find out who shot your friend."

Kwame agrees, "It is just a matter of time. Linka and I have already met some of the gang members."

"And I have become friendly with a boy in my class who was at the shooting." Ma-Ti put in. "His brother Main-Dog is the leader of the Wrecking Crew Gang."

"Linka and I are in a class with Main-Dog, he is a tough customer. Be careful Ma-Ti." Kwame added.

"I do not think Rani is involved with gang violence." Ma-Ti told them.

Wheeler wondered if his friends really understood the situation they were in, "But with two rival gangs on one campus we **all** have to be careful."

* * *

Wheeler sighed as the lunch bell rang. _At last! I hope we find out who shot Gi's friend soon, a few more days of this and I'm gonna go crazy!_

He and Gi headed out into the grounds to find the others only to find Kwame looking straight into the barrel of Clayton's gun. _What? Damn! Can't use my power… Can't take on the whole gang…_

Knowing he had to get his friend out of a situation he was not equipped to deal with, Wheeler made the split second decision to tackle Kwame. Thankfully his African friend caught on quickly and fought back.

After the teacher separated them Kwame and the others headed off, and Clayton approached the fire planeteer, helping him up. "Cool moves man."

_Clayton's the leader of the Evil Educators, if I play this right…_ the American thought. "Thanks. I thought he was pulling a gun, I figured I'd better jump in." Wheeler brushed himself off and tried to look cool.

"You're okay." Clayton said with approval. "So maybe you wanna hang sometime with me and my home boys?"

"Right er, yeah, that'd be great." Wheeler tried to make eye contact with Gi, who had stayed behind with him. _Please let her play along, she's so damn unpredictable at the moment and the last thing I need is for her to give him her opinion on gangs…_

* * *

Wheeler paced back and forth in the hospital corridor as Gi visited her sick friend. _I need to get out of here, we're doin' no good. She's just…_

"I still cannot understand why they must resort to bloodshed!" Linka interrupted his train of thought.

"**I'll** tell you why, they don't think they've got a future. All they've got it their turf." Wheeler explained. He didn't mean to sound aggressive but sometimes he forgot how naïve his companions could be.

"Nothing gives you the right to shoot another person." Gi said emerging from the hospital room, still upset and angry. She faces up to Wheeler, challenging him to argue with her. "Whoever did this is gonna pay!"

Rani and Julie join them just then. "How is Mr Keene?"

"Not good." Gi answered close to tears, she seemed to go back in on herself becoming small and vulnerable once more. She shook her head, "They don't know if…." Linka put her hand on the young Asians shoulder to comfort her, but they all felt pretty useless.

As they headed back to the cheap hotel they were staying in, after saying good night to Rani and Julie, Linka and Wheeler dropped a little way back from the others. "Wheeler…" Linka asked after a few moments. "Is this what it was like for you? Growing up I mean?"

The American sighed. "Kinda. I wasn't in a gang exactly but there's strength in numbers you know? And Territory? Yeah, we had to learn how to defend ourselves pretty quick. My friends weren't into guns, we couldn't afford them, back then it was all knives and street fighting. It got worse after I left… I managed to help them some though."

Linka nodded, remembering what he had told them of his trip home.

"Thing is." He continued. "Gi seems to think that life should just stop 'cos her friend got hurt."

The Russian shook her head, "It is not that, it is just hard for her."

"Yeah, I know but… she's got it backwards." Wheeler replied, taking Linka's hand and squeezing it. "I know you guys sometimes think I'm being irresponsible but… see if there's one thing living on the street teaches you it's that you have to live life… like right now. Go for it because there may not be a tomorrow. I'm not saying that I wish this sort of life on any of you because I don't, and it's great that there are kids out there that don't have to go through all this. But, if this is what you have to deal with…"

Linka looked at him as if seeing him for the first time. "I am sorry Wheeler. We all judge based on our own experiences, we know we should not and we tell ourselves that we do not but… I do not think one of us ever considered why you sometimes react differently to things or why you have different priorities sometimes."

Wheeler shrugged releasing his grip on her. "You do your best to teach me."

Realising now that Wheeler understood a lot more than they gave him credit for, she reclaimed his hand and said. "We must sound very self righteous to you."

"Sometimes." He grinned at her and she smiled back.

They reached their hotel just then but as the others entered, Wheeler held his lovely companion back. "Meet me second period tomorrow? In the old janitors closet by the east stair case."

Linka looked uncertain. "I have a maths class."

"Anything you don't already know?" he asked cheekily.

The wind planeteer smiled but still hesitated, "Well, nyet but…"

Wheeler squeezed her hand and looked deeply into her eyes. "Meet me, please?"

"Okay." She smiled shyly up at him before pulling her hand free and running after the others.

* * *

_I shouldn't have asked her to come, she probably didn't understand the significance… she probably thinks I wanted to talk…_ _She's gonna go mad if I tell her…._Wheeler paced back and forth in the small area available in the janitors closet. _That's if she shows at all, cutting class isn't exactly Linka's style._

Linka opened the door and stuck her head inside, "Wheeler?"

"Here Babe." He replied with the biggest grin on his face.

She smiled back as she slipped inside. "So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" then seeing his hesitation, "Is everything okay? You look nervous."

"I guess I'm feeling a bit guilty…" He answered, "I mean it seemed like a good idea a the time but with everything going on, you probably wont feel that this is entirely appropriate… and you don't know what I'm talking about do you?" When she shook her head, he grimaced, "Just please don't get mad at me."

Linka smiled, "Why would I be mad a you? I came here because you asked me to. I cut class because you asked me to. Not for any particular reason… I did not ask you why before I came, so I cannot get mad at you now."

Wheeler looked at her curiously, "**Do** you get the significance of all this then?"

She shrugged, "Maybe." And seeing his questioning look blushed, suddenly very nervous herself. "I know what it means in American TV shows… and after what you said about getting on with life I… but back in Russia, there was only one time when a boy I liked asked me to meet him. He said it was to help him with his homework and erm…"

"Oh? How far did things go?" The fire planeteer asked, jealousy plain in his voice.

Linka blushed deeper. "Well we finished Science but we did not get all the way through history."

Wheeler laughed stepping towards her and sliding his arms around her waist to pull her to him, slowly caressing her bare midriff. "Poor Babe, but you know why **I **asked you to come here?"

"I am guessing it was not to help you with your homework." She answered, her heart racing.

"No it wasn't." The American grinned and began to nuzzle her neck, "Are you okay with this?"

"Okay, da, but… I am not sure what I am supposed to do." The beauty confessed.

Wheeler looked up into her eyes, "You're supposed to enjoy yourself."

Linka chuckled softly, her cheeks still rosy. "I am enjoying it… you just need to tell me what to do in response."

"Anything you want to." He told her, moving one hand up to gently stroke her face, wanting to wipe away her anxiety. "There's nothing to worry about Lin. I wont take this any further than you want me to." Then it dawned on him. "You really haven't done this before have you?"

She shook head and looked away.

"There's no right or wrong…" He turned her head back towards him gently. "It's just you and me." Then he leant forward and kissed her. Softly at first and then more deeply as she responded.

When they parted for air Linka giggled, "I was half expecting someone to interrupt."

"Yeah. Me too!" Wheeler said sheepishly. "I'm glad they didn't though."

"Me too." She said shyly.

The fire planeteer leant forward to whisper in his partners ear, "Your turn."

"My turn?" Linka asked in confusion.

"You kiss me." He teased her, but wanting more than anything to know that it was what she wanted.

Reaching up to pull his head down, Linka raised her lips to his. "How is that?" she asked after a while.

"Works for me." Wheeler told her, slightly awed by her response.

"Are you sure? You do not think maybe I need practice?" She teased, enjoying his reaction.

Wheeler grinned and leant down once more, this time letting his hands begin to explore the smooth skin of her incredibly flat stomach and tiny waist.

Linka shivered with pleasure at his touch, and ran her own hands down his chest to slip them under the oversized t-shirt he was wearing to conceal his very un-teenage like torso.

The American again made his way down her neck, pushing the shirt she was wearing off her shoulders and making her moan slightly as his lips found a tender spot. His heart started beating rapidly as he realised the effect he was having on her. _This is really happening!_

Loving what he was doing to her neck, Linka decided Wheelers t-shirt was very inconvenient. She pulled it up over his head, interrupting him momentarily, but not distracting him for long. Exploring the contour of his neck with her lips, Linka felt herself being caught up in a tide of passion she didn't want to stop. _This is crazy! _She thought._ We are acting like immature teenagers… except that I did not act like this when I was really at school so why am I acting like it now? _She knew the answer of course, Wheeler did something to her that no one else she had ever met did. _Like no-one else ever could…and if this is how he wants it to be…_

"You aren't wearing a bra." He observed after slipping his hands up inside her small crop top.

Linka laughed, "I did not think I needed one with this." She marvelled at how natural he made it all seem, she'd never thought she would feel so comfortable doing this.

"I wasn't complaining." He told her, reclaiming her lips with his own.

The door suddenly slammed open. "And what do you two think you're doing?" Mr Finch demanded.

The planeteers broke apart as quickly as they could, Linka blushing furiously but thankful that Wheeler hadn't removed more than her over-shirt. Wheeler retrieved his t-shirt mumbling, "I thought that was obvious."

"Okay Smart Arse! That's enough of that." The teacher told him. "Detention both of you. Report to Mrs Baker in the nurses office after school."

"The nurse?" Linka said. "Why would the nurse oversee a detention?"

"You'll find out when you get there, now get to your classes before you get another detention." The teacher said sharply.

Having replaced their clothing the two planeteers said "Yes Sir" and quickly ran to their respective classes.

* * *

"I don't care what you say Wheeler!" Gi argued, getting annoyed. "Mindless violence **can't** be justified."

Wheeler had had enough of Gi's superior attitude and he answered in kind. "Who's talking about justification Gi, I'm talking about reality!"

"Whoa, what're you guys so uptight about?" Clayton asked as he joined them.

"Oh nothing. Macho man here thinks he has all the answers." Gi replied, calming down a little.

Clayton was in a good mood though, "Yeah well chill. We're going to the game room."

"Cool, I love video games." Wheeler told him

The Evil Ed's leader laughed. "We aint playin' no games man! We're hitting the spot to score some gats."

"Gats?" Gi asked in confusion.

_Oh man, she's not gonna like this…_ Wheeler answered her. "Er… Guns."

Gi stayed mad at Wheeler for the rest of the afternoon so that he was almost glad that he had detention. _No, I'm definitely glad, not only do I get away from Gi for an hour, I get to spend that hour with Linka… even if it's writing lines... for the nurse, why the nurse?_

He adjusted the piece Clayton had given him, making sure it wasn't visible. _No need to make Linka mad too, though Gi will probably tell her… It's not like I'm gonna use the thing! _

Wheeler leant on the door outside the nurses office as he waited for his partner in crime. _At least Kwame got me out of Claytons 'favour'. Rani doesn't deserve that poor kid… we better find this shooter soon though or I'll have to deliver on my promise. Damn! Still as long as I don't have to use the gun I know how to avoid any permanent damage… I just hope it's not Kwame…_

* * *

Kwame and Linka stood as the last bell rang. "Aren't you coming to meet the others?" The African asked as Linka turned in the opposite direction.

She'd been grateful that he hadn't asked any questions when she'd turned up half way through their maths lesson but now she realised she couldn't avoid the subject forever. "I cannot… I have a detention." She blushed.

Not unnaturally surprised, Kwame asked, "What for?"

There was a short pause before she answered. "For cutting class."

"I thought you told the teacher you were unwell?" Kwame said with a frown.

The Russian blushed even deeper. "I had to say **something**."

Kwame thought of the Russian planeteer as a little sister and that immediately brought out the protective side of him. "Linka this is a dangerous place to be wandering around on your own, I understand that you want to help Gi, we all do but…"

"I was not… I was not investigating and I was not on my own either." She told him quickly.

Confused, her concerned friend asked, "So what were you doing and who were you doing it with?"

Linka looked at her big brother and gave up, laughing. "I was with Wheeler and we got caught making out in the janitors closet… I will see you later." She added moving away quickly, then she turned around and called back. "Do not tell Gi!" before hurrying to her detention.

Kwame stared after her in shock for a moment, and then began to shake with laughter. _Not Gi no, at least not until after her friend is out of danger… but I am going to tell Ma-Ti and the two of you will not hear the end of this!_

Just over an hour later….

Linka exited the Nurses office blushing furiously, Wheeler followed behind her trying not to laugh.

"It was not funny Yankee." The Russian told him angrily

Wheelers grin grew, "No but you should have seen your face!"

"It is not right, making us watch that!" Linka said weakly.

"Oh I don't know, it's probably pretty effective… should scare a few kids into waiting a while." He shrugged, "Childbirth is pretty gross, it's certainly put me off my dinner."

"Did they have to start the instruction from conception though?" The lovely blonds face turned red again. "It was not right to make us watch that together."

Wheeler laughed, "It was only diagrams Babe… didn't you have to watch all that in science class anyway?"

"Da, but there was no-one there that I would have considered...." Then realising what she was saying, "Bozhe Moy, I have never been so embarrassed."

Wheeler suddenly moved to stand in her path, holding her by the arms to make her face him, though she didn't raise her eyes. "Why? That was their point wasn't it? If we're gonna do that together, we should know what we're really doing and we shouldn't be embarrassed about watching it together or talking about it. Right?" Then his own words sunk in and he released her saying, "Not that we were going to… not yet… definitely not in a cupboard but… I mean er…"

Linka's tension began to ebb and she started to laugh. "I know what you mean." She looked up at him, "And you are right that that was their point, and they are right too."

He gazed into her eyes "So where does this leave us?"

"We need to talk but we cannot do it here, we should wait until we get home then…" She hesitated.

"Then what?" Wheeler prompted her.

Linka took a breath before saying "We decide what we want."

"I know what I want Babe." The fire planeteers voice was as intent as his gaze but the moment didn't last.

"Wheeler! Linka! There you are!" Gi's voice made them both wince, she sounded a little shriller since her friend David was hurt.

Wheeler sighed, "I guess we'll talk later."

Linka nodded and turned to greet their friends.

* * *

Wheeler frowned as he thought of the last few hours. _Hanging out at the Eight Ball wasn't so bad until Kwame showed up with the Wrecking Crew Gangs challenge. Now it's midnight at the fair ground, Rani and Ma-Ti are missing and we're facing off against a gang who think we're guilty of snatching them. We're all armed… and the worst of it? Linka's on the other side. Okay not really, I mean the planeteers are still working together… but what if bullets start flying? Since the day we met I've felt this overwhelming need to protect her and now it's like I'm a million miles away. I wanna go and scoop her up in my arms and take her away from all this, but right now, that'd be suicide._

"Come on, let's wreck the crew!" Clayton called to his gang.

Wheeler and Gi exchange looks in alarm until.. "Wait! Clayton don't!"

_That's Clayton's sister Julie, Rani's girl friend, what's she doing here?_ The fire planeteer wondered.

Julie blurts out, "Rani saw who shot Mr Keene and he told me… It was…"

And Wheeler heard the sound of a gun being cocked. Turning to look, the planeteer had no choice. "Fire!" The gun flew out of the shooters hand as Wheeler's aim held true.

"What's going down?" Clayton demanded.

"It was Zack." Julie finishes. "He shot Mr Keene."

Then Wheeler added, "And he just tried to off your sister."

Before anyone else could do anything, Zack ran forward and grabbed Julie, holding a knife to her throat. "I'll teach you to open your mouth girl. I'll teach all of you!"

"That's enough!" Gi cried, "Water!" She lifted him up onto a big water ride and they waited while he skimmed his way back down. But Gi wasn't finished, she wouldn't let him out of the pool at the bottom, using her water power to make him fight for his life.

"Gi, you don't really wanna do this." Wheeler said coming up beside her, really worried about how far his little sister would go.

"Yes I do!" She replied with more venom in her voice than he'd ever heard her use.

Wheeler would try to stop her physically if he had to but that wasn't what he wanted. Now she'd seen first hand what this life could make people do but this wasn't Gi and he wanted his friend back, but it had to be her choice. "This is his way Gi, not yours."

Finally he got through to her and she turned into his arms crying. "It's alright Gi. It's okay."

They'd caught the shooter but there was still a problem… Ma-Ti and Rani were locked in a burning building and they were a long way away. Luckily, as they were making their way to the rescue, the youngest planeteer called them with his ring, meaning together they could call Captain Planet.

As their favourite hero cleaned up the mess Zack had made, Julie ran over to check on her boyfriend. "Rani, are you okay?"

"How many times've I got to tell you to stay away from that SpEd!" Clayton told her, still not giving up. Main-Dog took exception to the slight on his brother and would have started the fighting all over again, but Wheeler had had enough.

Pushing his way between the two gang leaders and holding them apart, the American planeteer said, "Hasn't there been enough fighting? First Mr Keene takes a bullet and now Rani and Ma-Ti were nearly fried!"

"Hey man that was Zack!" Clayton tells him.

"You're just as guilty as Zack." Gi puts in "Maybe you didn't pull the trigger or start the fire, but you may as well have. As long as you continue telling your gangs to use guns and violence, you're to blame too. Can't you see? It's time to stop wrecking and start **really** educating. And the first step is a truce!"

"Gi's right." Captain Planet announced from above them. "Peace or war, it's your choice."

The two leaders paused, gripping their guns as they considered the planeteers words. Main-Dog was the first to speak. "I don't know man, maybe we can work something out?" He dropped his gun and held his empty hands out.

Clayton nodded. "Yeah, maybe." He threw his own gun away and held out a hand for Main-Dog to take as the others began to applaud. The two leaders grasped each others hands in what would hopefully be a lasting truce and a better future.

"The Power Is Yours!" Captain Planet disappeared.

* * *

The planeteers arrived back at their hotel that night in great spirits after seeing Zack arrested and the gangs united. Something wonderful had happened that night, and though only time would tell if it would be a lasting peace, it was a good start and definitely something to be proud of.

Gi's good mood didn't last long though and as she got into bed, Linka saw that she was crying. Instead of getting into her own bed, Linka moved to sit next to Gi, taking the young Asian in her arms and rocking her gently. "It is okay Gi."

The water planeteer shook her head. "No it's not, I almost became a monster tonight! If it hadn't been for Wheeler… and I've been so horrible to him since we've been here… like it was his fault for coming from a place like this."

Linka stroked her friends hair soothingly. "Wheeler understands Gi. He is not angry with you, he just thinks we should not stop living our lives because something bad has happened. He has a point."

"Yeah, but you don't understand Linka. Not really." Gi found a tissue and blew her nose. "David is still hurt and we still don't know if he'll survive. I thought finding the person that did it would help but it doesn't. I feel like I'm in limbo, I can't get on with my life until I know… and he **has** to be okay! I can't stop thinking about him, like I'm holding on to him and if I stop thinking about him he might slip away." Her eyes filled with tears. "It's not real Linka, it **can't** be! Things like this only happen in movies and distant places to people we don't know…. I need to help him and I don't know what else I can do!"

The young girls emotions tumbled out all at once and she cried herself to sleep in her friends arms. Just before her eyes closed though she said, "Wheeler can talk all he wants of getting on with life, but he wouldn't if it were you… And just because I'm not in love with David doesn't mean it wouldn't hurt to lose him." She gave a little sob and then drifted away into more or less, a peaceful slumber.

Linka laid her friend down and tucked her in before turning back to her own bed, her conversation with Gi still playing on her mind. The wind planeteer stopped as she reached a decision.

Wheeler stretched out in his bed and sighed. _At least we're all back on the same team, even if we were never really apart… now if I can just get Linka to talk to me __**before**__ we get home and everything goes back to normal again! I __**know**__ she wants more than 'just good friends' now, but I know __**her**__ too… If I leave it too long she'll bolt and there'll be nothing I can do about it. Damn, I wish she weren't sharing with Gi, there's no way she'll…_

The fire planeteers thoughts trailed off as his door creaked open and Linka slipped inside. He watched her as she moved through the semi-darkness of his room in the pale light from the window and muffled a laugh as she tripped over something unseen, grabbing the bed to steady herself.

Linka's heart was beating fast as she tried to sneak around the room without waking her companion… she intended to wake him actually, just not yet. Biting back a retort as she kicked her foot against something… she made the rest of the way around the double bed and slipped in under the covers. Moving as gently as she could up against her friend, she began to press kisses to his neck.

Wheeler hardly dared breathe as she ran her hand down his chest from his shoulder but when she reached his heart she stopped completely. "You are awake." She accused. "Your heart is beating too rapidly for you to be asleep."

"Yeah, but I'll go on pretending if you promise not to stop?" He teased.

Linka chuckled, "That was not the idea."

"Oh what was the idea?" Wheeler asked, opening his eyes and tilting his head to look at her.

The beautiful girl smiled shyly, "I'm here for my next lesson. Romance 101, da?"

"I'm game." The fire planeteer chuckled. "Maybe we should recap lesson one first though?"

Linka lowered her mouth to his and moved her hand back up over his chest and neck to run her fingers through his hair. When they parted, she leant over him to bring her lips close to his ear, "Your turn."

Wheeler laughed and complied with her request, wrapping his arms around her and rolling her over onto her back before kissing her ruthlessly. Encouraged by her passionate response, he moved his hands up inside her pyjama top, only stopping again when he felt her attempt to push his boxers down. Catching her hands and pulling away, he said, "Whoa, how far you planning on taking this Babe?"

Linka blushed, though he couldn't see it in that light. "Wheeler I… I know we have been in dangerous situations before but… guns frighten me, they are so deadly and yet in the wrong hands, so random… and we were on opposite sides, if something had happened I might not have been able to get to you to help… You were right, we should not waste time waiting for tomorrow when we don't know if there will be one I… I could have lost you tonight!"

She was crying now and Wheeler pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her and entwining their legs in an effort to comfort her. "Baby you aren't going to lose me." He placed a kiss in her hair as she buried her face in his neck. "And we aren't wasting time, we're together and that's all that matters. I'm sorry if I made you feel like that but I don't want to rush this. You and me… that's real, it's forever and it's definitely something to live for. I want a future with you and I'm not going to risk it by treating it like it's temporary or like it doesn't matter. You matter, you're everything to me and as much as it's killing me, we are going to wait until you are ready. Until it's what you really want and not because you're afraid, but because there's nothing you want more than to be with me. We've already seen what fear can make people do… and yeah I understand why people do the things they do, when you're living from day to day you don't always have a choice, I've been there. But **we** have a choice and we have to make the right one."

"I love you." Was her only response as she cuddled more tightly into him.

Wheeler grinned, "I love you too." He kissed her temple and snuggled down to sleep, confident for once that everything was going to be fine.

* * *

When the fire planeteer awoke the next morning his first thought was for the beautiful young girl still cradled in his arms. He could tell she was awake so instead of opening his eyes he just said, "I love you."

"I love you too." She answered but there was something about her voice…

He opened his eyes, "What's wrong?"

"I am embarrassed by my behaviour." She closed her eyes. "I have been acting so foolishly these last few days…"

"No!" The sharpness of his tone made Linka open her eyes again. "Don't you dare do this to me!"

He'd turned them so that he was pinning her down and looking intently down into her eyes, but it didn't even occur to the lovely Russian to feel threatened. Instead she reached up to stroke his hair, trying to soothe him as she asked, "Do what?"

"Convince yourself that nothing happened or that it was a mistake or something." The American looked genuinely worried. "You always do it just when we get close, you pull away and avoid me until I let it go, well not this time. I'm not letting you go! You weren't acting foolishly, you were acting like a normal teenager, is that really so bad? Do you always have to have all the answers?"

Linka looked uncomfortable. "Nyet but…"

"No buts! You might not like letting your feelings show but there's nothing wrong with letting go and being yourself." He told her urgently.

The wind planeteer looked away. "You did not seem to think that last night…"

Wheeler looked at her for a moment and then he began to relax. "That's what all this is about? The one time I decide to be a gentleman and you're sore about it?"

"Not sore, just…" She met his eyes, her own sparkling as if she was holding back tears. "I do not like making a fool of myself Wheeler. I know I am not good at this, when it is so easy for you, but I never thought you would reject me!"

"Hey, I didn't reject you. You didn't think that last night, you've just convinced yourself of that this morning because you think about things too much." He leant his forehead against hers. "I just wanted to know that you came to me for the right reasons… I was right wasn't I?"

Linka looked away pouting prettily, "That is not the point."

Wheeler chuckled and began trailing kisses along her shoulder. "Do you remember the things I said to you last night?"

"Da." She answered softly, not responding to his advances but moving her head so that he could continue up her neck.

When he got to her ear he whispered suggestively, "And you're not afraid now, right?"

"Nyet I am not afraid now." She told him, allowing him to make his way back down her neck before pushing him away. "But now you will have to wait." She got up out of the bed and re-adjusted her pyjamas. "I must go back to my room before Gi notices I am gone. She is still in a state over David and…." She'd paused to look back as she reached the door and the look in Wheelers eyes made her remember what he'd said about her pulling away.

Linka walked back to the bed. Taking his head in her hands she leant down to give him the kind of kiss he wouldn't easily forget, then moving her lips to his ear she whispered, "You only have to wait until we get home Lyubov."

Grinning back at the saucy smile she'd given him before slipping out of his room, Wheeler let out a slow whistle and laid back against his pillows, giving himself time to calm down before he joined his friends.

* * *

Back in their normal uniforms, the planeteers waited outside the hospital for Gi to return with news of her friend. It was not long before Julie and Rani joined them asking. "Any news on Mr Keene?"

"Gi has gone in to check." Linka told them.

Wheeler was watching her. Other than smiling at him, she had been keeping her distance, but then she couldn't do anything else in front of Gi, and until they knew how her friend was doing, Linka was more concerned with the Asian girls feelings anyway.

"David's gonna make it!" The water planeteer suddenly announced from behind them, and when they turned around cheering, they saw that he'd accompanied Gi in a wheel chair.

"And I'm especially happy about the truce between the Evil Eds and the Wrecking Crew!" David told them.

Relaxing back into his usual self, Wheeler said, "You know, going back to school was kinda fun."

Also happier, Linka stepped closer to him and put her hand on his shoulder, "Da." smiling affectionately as she added. "I think we have all learned a lot." Even better, the Russian didn't let go as Gi started to talk and the new couple share a look as they agree with her, it's something they'd already learned… together.

"Rani and Julie have proved that kids can get along, no matter where they come from." The young Asian said.

David nodded at his young friend. "Now that's a lesson worth learning!"

THE END

* * *

**A/N: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!**


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